Spring-cover.



A, E. PETERS.

SPRING COVER.

'HON PILL:

APPLICA D MAY 13, 1013,

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

. f INVENTU/i? am@ f5 @f JSE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

ARTHUR E. PETERS, OE WESTMONT BOROUGH, YENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-COVER.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

B'e it known that I, ARTHUR E. Pirrsus, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough ofilVestmont, in the county of Cambria-and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in S ring-Covers; and I do hereby declare the ollowing to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to spring covers for use in connection with vehicles such as automobiles, wagons, carriages, etc., and is adapted to form a flexible inclosure and clamp for leaf springs of any form, whereby they are protected from dust, mud, water, or other extraneous materials which would have a prejudicial effect upon them, and the cover is also adapted to retain lubricants within and between the portions of the spring which slide or move on one another.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cover of exible material which will not interfere with the necessary spring action or resiliency of the sprin', but at the same time, will, by reason of the tightness of its fit around the spring, tend to hold the individualportions of the leaves thereof to gether and prevent them from becoming separated in any direction, due to their spring movements.

A vehicle spring which is subjected to shock, due to passing over roughnesses or inequalities inthe road or track, has a vio lent motion, first in one direction and then 1n the other, so that, under certain circumstances, the leaves may be opened or separated and then suddenly closed, producingr i an impact between the portions, which is sometimes destructive. The different portions of the spring after being bound together by means of my cover, will act, to a certain extent, as a unit and prevent such impacts, While at the same time, the flexibility of the cover Will not lessen the resiliency of the spring. Having thus given a general description of my invention,'I will now refer to the various gures of the drawings attached hereto and forming part hereof, and on tion of my spring cover, indicated as 10, 1s

which like characters indicate like parts.

Figure l is a side elevation of a half elliptic spring of the style used on automobiles or similar vehicles; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse verticalcross Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 13, 1913.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

serial no. 767,246.

section through the cover, after it is removed from the spring, on'the line III-III of Fig. l and Fig. 4t is a cross section through the intermediate portion of the spring cover shown in Figs. l and 2, taken on the line IV--IV of Fig. l, when removedfrom thel 'stitfening rib to prevent undue distortion,

longitudinal m'ovement, or creeping; and Fig. 7 is a cross sect-ion of the same applied to the spring, taken on the line VIIVII of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a part of an elliptic spring provided with another form of my spring' cover which is made in two portions so that this style and that shown in Figs. 6 and 7 can be put in place or taken off, without tools, by any one, and without the necessity of removing the spring clamp; the covers in this case, extending only to said central spring clamps. Referring now to the numbers of refer-4 ence on the drawings :-1 indicates a portion of the frame of an automobih` or other vchicle, .2 is a leaf sii-ing shown in this case as of semi-elliptic orm, but I wish Iit understood that my cover can be applied to springs of other shapes, as will be readily understood; 3 represents the spring pin or pivot at one end thereof; 4 the pivot at the other end; 5 represents a link pivoted at one end at 4 and the other end at (i, the latter pivot being attached to the frame of the vehicle, the linkbeing adapted as customary, to allow the movement of the spring.

7 represents my spring cover which may be made of leather, duck, japanned duck or leather, or in fact, any strong, and at the.

same time, somewhat flexible material which is formed, preferably slightly smaller than `the spring, so as to fit tightly when the i preferably composed of metal such as iron,

steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, etc., and is adapted to closel. fit and conform to the central portion o the top and sides of the owner or any one,.without the use of tools,

spring and form a. solid, and at the same time, a secure seating for the spring clamps S. By means of this construction the spring is irmly and solidly secured to the axle 9 as the metallic portion 10 is-practically uni construction laced together, or in fact secured together in any practical manner. rIhe central portion 10 o-f my spring cover serves to connect the two end portions and hold them firmly in position without possi..

bility of their creeping endwise' or yotherwise. i'

The portions 7 of my spring cover are provided with lacing holes 14 which may be also provided vwith reinforcing eyelets, hooks 'or pins, through, or around, which the lace 13 is passed and drawn up tightly and secured, these holesnand lacing being arranged on the lower side of the spring and' normally'out of sight, so that the cover pre' sents a neat `and smooth appearance, and isA easily cleaned from dust,etc.

kThe edges of my spring cover 7 are so proportie-'ned as to stand apart a slight distance to allow the cover to be ldrawn up tightly,

and in order to cover thisv opening and pre-- vent access of extraneous materials to the spring, Iprovide a tonguel 12, preferably secured on the inside ofthe spring cover andfriveted or sewed thereto as indicated in As shown at 21,' in Fig. 1, I may form the upper portionvof my spring cover-with an end tongue `which projects overthe endof the spring and is tucked into the'end opening and laced to the lower part of said spring cover as shown, thereby closing'the end opening, the whole thus forminga tight and complete casing. l

As shown in Fig. 5, the endv port-ions of my spring cover are indicated as 15, which, in this case, extend substantially up to the spring clamps 8 which rest directly against the leaf spring 2, the ends of said cover 15 being laced firmly together by means of the lacing 16. This spring cover shown in Fig. 5 is adaptedto-be placed in position by the 'I or without disassembling `the spring from position, and loneof my ideas in lacing it together as shown, is toiprevent the cover,`

from wrinklirig `or creeping endwise, 4or

otherwise becoming loose or displaced.

.Y Referring now to Figs. '6 and 47, thel end portionsof my spring cover are therein in-l dica'ted as 17, and are provided with a reinforcingf strip 18 extending longitudinally thereof and preferably on the inside of the upper portion. .This reinforcing strip may cover is particularly adapted to be applied. by any one without the necessity for loosen ing the spring clamps and by reason of the stiftening member 18 in connection with the other portions, end creeping or displacement" of. the spring coverv -is `prevented. This. spring cover is also provided wit,h"lacingA holes, laces, etc., as illustrated in Fig. 2.'.

As shown in Fig. 8, my spring cover is indicated as 2O and in this caseit.l is pref-.-

erably formed 'of a comparatively stift', but

flexible material, such Vas heavyleather, solle-'im leather, or similar substance of character?"- such'that when laced tightly on the spring as heretofore indicated, it will not climb or creep by reason of said stiffness.

-By -means of the construction described' my cover ,is firmly secured laterally to; the

spring by thebottom lacing 13 and is firmly secured vlongitudinallv by thecentral`lacing 16, `'or'by'the central metallic portionf-IU',

thereby firmly binding the spring leaves tol gether and preventing the cover from mov:

ing endwise, which it would otherwise do and its motion whenin use. By means of the constructionshown in Figs. 6 and 7 the reinforcing strip A18 prevents the endwise movement or creeping of the cover. Im'ay also secure my cover by means of snap fas'' are usid tween the end tongue and the lower part ofv the cover as indicated at 21 in Fig. 1, and by rubbing said cover toward the center of the "on account of the tapered form of the. spring 1 ico springsaid'lubricant is spread. ]\`Inaylv also have a spring cap oil or grease opening near the end ofthe cover through which to im troduce said lubricant.

Although i have Shown and descrihedlhy improvements in considerablev detail,.I do

not wish to' be limited to the exact and speciic details shown and described, and I may make'my spring cover end portions of metal or combination of metal and other material, such as leather, duck, etc., and may use such substitutions, modiications, `or equivalents thereof, as are embraced within-,the scope of 5 my invention oras pointed out i'irtthe claims.VY

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim4 and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:` 1. A spring cover composed of 'flexible fit) material adapted to closely inclose a leaf spring and provided with means for laterally and separate means lor longitudinally securing the same i'n position.

2. A spring' cover composed of flexible material adapted to closely inolose'the end portions ot' a leat' spring, means for laterally securing the same thereon, and a comparatively inflexible central portion secured to said end portions.

3. A spring cover composed of flexible material adapted to closely inelose a leaf spring7 and a sti'tfener secured to said cover and extending' longitudinally of said spring); adapted to prevent creeping or longitudinal movement ot said cover.

4. A spring cover Composed of end portions olr flexible material adapted to closely lit the projecting resilient ends of a leat spring, means for securing same late willy, and a stilf metallic portion adapted to lit the central portion otl said spring and secured to said end portions, whereby said oover is retained longitudinally.

5. A spring cover composed of flexible material adapted to elosel y tit the projeeting` resilient part of a leat" spring, lacing holes in the adjoining' edges of said material, a lace passed through said holes adapted to secure the same laterally, and a` stitl'eir in position laterally and*l ingr member secured lo said llexible material and extending' hing'itlnlimilly ol' said spring'A (3. 'In a spring' cover ol the character described, an` end portion ot' ilexible material adapted to closely tit the projecting resilient part of a leal spring` the edges ot said inat'erial being' laterally secured together on the lower side thereof, a tongue secured to one oli' Isaid edge.' and adapted to cover the opening between said edges, a tlap extending from the end of the around the end of said spring and removably secured to the lower part of said cover.

7. A cover `for halt` elliptic lealx springs comprising end portions of flexible material adapted to incluse the ends of said springs and extending from the central' spring clamps to thc spring extremities, the meetimgr edges ol said cover being; arranged at the lower surface ot said spring', means for laterally securing' said edges together, and means ior longitudinally securing' tht.I adjoining;l central portions of said spring cover.

ln testimony wlun'eol l hereto allix my signature in the presence oll two witnesses.

i Alt'llllllt E. lll'lllltS. lV i tnesses:

llnuin: Snaren', ll. ill'. Dawsox.

upper part of said cover n 

